Following the news of its release in January on our blog, Cnet has now reviewed Panasonic’s latest mid-range 3D Blu-ray player – the DMP-BDT110, praising its excellent picture quality and a stylish finish.

They highlight the resolution of 3D and 2D images on offer as well as the new menus and additional features:

‘We found that 3D material worked brilliantly. The BDT110 offers a few interesting 3D options, for example, you can adjust the depth of the 3D image via the player itself, allowing for a more immersive or more subdued 3D effect, as you see fit. Interestingly, Panasonic also provides an option that allows you to put an overlay around the edge of the 3D image. The idea is that it softens the transition between the 3D pictures on the screen and the harsh edge of your TV. You can choose from several colours too.’

Also credited are the new internet options including the Skype function which has been added to every model in Panasonic’s 2011 range:

‘We particularly like the drop-down front panel that hides the disc tray. You can access Panasonic’s Viera Cast online service via the player’s Ethernet or wireless connectivity. Then you can use the company’s various video-streaming apps or the brilliant Skype application. We’re really big fans of Panasonic’s Skype app and the optional USB video camera.’

So what’s the conclusion?

‘The Panasonic DMP-BDT110 is a classy machine, and well worth considering.’

Welcome back to this week’s second slot dedicated to the latest Blu-ray offerings from the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show.

Panasonic

Panasonic showcased a range of Blu-ray players this year, the pinnacle of which was an impressive 3D Blu-ray player, the DMP-BDT210, which went onto win not one but two CES awards for innovation in design and engineering. Its ground-breaking features include a 2D-to-3D up-conversion which can convert 2D images from DVDs and Blu-ray discs into 3D. For information on all the features visit Panasonic.com

Alongside this, Panasonic and Skype announced a partnership to offer Skype’s video-calling facilities on Panasonic’s new Blu-ray players.

LG Electronics introduced its 2011 line-up of Network Blu-ray players, and leading the way was its BD690 model. A 3D-capable player with LG SmartTV and an integrated 250-gigabyte (GB) hard drive, it promises to provide consumers with a simple-to-use interface and access to thousands of movies, customisable apps and videos at the touch of a button.

With Wi-Fi becoming less of a premium feature on Blu-ray players, LG also unveiled its BD640 and BD630 Blu-ray players, offering entry-level functions for buyers on a tighter budget.

Philips announced on-demand Web content and Internet apps will be available on its 2011 Blu-ray players and home theater systems. All devices will allow access to services like Netflix, Facebook, and Twitter, and its new 3D models, the BDP7506 and BDP5506, will also feature touch-screen controls.

Philips also announced the launch of a dual screen portable Blu-ray player for those who want to enjoy BD’s from the comfort of their car. The PB9011 features two nine-inch 16:9 widescreens, 1080p playback and the ability to output to a TV when you’re not in the car.

The Gadget Show’s Jon Bentley has named Blu-ray players as his top gadget for Christmas 2010. Teaming up with the British Video Association (BVA), Jon hopes to help shoppers avoid any chance of a festive faux-pas by selecting the hottest gadget hits and misses for 2010.

On a mission to help consumers choose great gifts, the BVA asked 2,000 Brits what topped their most unwanted list. A little unorthodox you might think, but with more than a third of us (34%) set to buy loved ones a gadget this year, surely its advice worth listening to?

Electric shavers, Foot spas, Coffee Machines and Candy-Floss makers were revealed as some of the offerings most despised. Jon’s gadget shopping advice, “Purchase something that’s likely to be satisfying rather than just a gimmick, such as a console that enables you to play Blu-ray Discs and DVDs as well as games or an internet-enabled mobile phone.”

Simon Heller, a spokesman for the BVA, said: “Many of the gadget gaffs cited in our study are gifts that have a lot of novelty appeal, but perhaps a limited shelf life. A Candy-Floss maker is great for beating those Boxing Day blues, but a games console or 3D Blu-ray player are future-proof. They’re gifts you’ll go back to all year round.”

Panasonic has this week revealed two new 3D Blu-ray players. Encompassing advanced image technologies, the DMP-BDT100 and the DMP-BDT350 will bring a more lifelike viewing experience to us all.

As well as playing 3D content, the BDT100 up-scales standard definition content to 1080p and has an impressive boot up time of under a second. It also has an integrated SD card slot and USB ports for viewing photos and video directly from cameras.

In addition, the BDT350 has support for Viera Cast. It can also stream content from the web including Netflix, Amazon VOD, Pandora, YouTube and Twitter whilst also having integrated WiFi for connectivity.

Both players support a wide range of audio formats and shipments of the BDT-100 are expected to start in August at an undisclosed price.